END OF AN AURA FOR NOVAK?

Djokovic falls to lucky loser at Indian Wells as slump goes on

- NEIL MCLEMAN

WHEN Novak Djokovic lost in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, the tennis world declared a generational changing of the guard.

The Serb superstar responded by winning his next four events, including the US Open, to finish the year as No.1 for a record eighth time.

The same end-of-an-era claim was made after his 33-match unbeaten run at the Australian Open was ended by Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

But since then the male GOAT has skipped Dubai and has now lost to Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi in his second match at Indian Wells in the BNP Paribas Open. This was certainly a generation game for 20-year-old Nardi, who still has a poster of his idol Djokovic on his bedroom wall.